GP. This year's conference focuses on the ability to govern change by cities; government understood as the ability to react to different pressures and respond to the needs and expectations of citizens. In your opinion, what are the strongest messages of this Conference?
AdS. I think that the Conference Agenda has been built with great thought because it offers a broad vision, at almost 360 °, of the central topic.
I believe that the strongest message of this Conference is that after 2 years of the Covid-19 pandemic and with a war in progress we find ourselves with the desire to share our experiences to imagine a better future.
We have always enjoyed this annual meeting as a moment dedicated to sharing ideas, challenges, opportunities, and projects with the desire to deepen and better understand what happens or what could happen because we know that sharing an experience amplifies the sensations. Sharing real experiences is an opportunity for growth for both the listener and the narrator.
GP: Why do you think it’s so important to share ideas?
AdS: Exchanging ideas has always been the heart and engine of the Conference ... and this year, more than in past editions, we intend to transform the work sessions into "mental spaces" where we reflect on the future of cities and imagine new visions in the service of the community.
There is a phrase by George Bernard Shaw that I often use because in its simplicity it explains the essence of what we aim to promote as a community: “If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.
But I think it is important to follow up on this extraordinary concept: what do we do with these ideas? This is why the programme includes sessions dedicated to reflecting on the future: round tables, world cafes, etc.
GP. What do you mean by “imagine new visions at the service of the community”?
AdS: For example, in the special section dedicated to climate change we will explore and challenge our ideas on the ecological transition to build together a concrete path towards sustainability.
It is now very clear that dealing with sustainability today does not correspond only to an ethical act but to an economic choice that can no longer be postponed. The analysis of the data of the work and experiences in progress gives us very clear evidence: investing in projects and solutions with a low environmental impact, moves the economy. But this is not enough, we must build collective thinking to transform the efforts of individuals into change and efficiency.
Sustainability is not an abstract limitation but something that unites, that pushes us to create a system and build new relationships ... this is another strong message that we want to convey, and I think it is a message consistent with our history and also a good reason to participate in our Conference.
(*) Alessandra de Seneen is since 2018 Secretary General of the National Institute of Rural Sociology (INSOR) a non-profit association for the study and research of the Italian rural society and its evolution; she’s also a partner of a consulting company – 4changing - with particular focus on change management, digital transformation and green transition. She collaborates with several Italian Universities and Rome Business School as a professor in management and business organization. In 2020, together with colleagues working in research and in the agri-food sector, published a “guide” to help companies operating in the agri-food sector to create sustainable business model (1). Previously she worked at Accenture as Executive Partner in the Information Management division and at IBM where she grew professionally until becoming Senior Executive in the Business Consulting Services division. She’s a member of the Major Cities of Europe Organising Committee and of the Comitato Bioetico per la Veterinaria e l’Agroalimentare (CBV-A).
(1) SDG’s 4 business : guida pratica per aziende del settore agroalimentare alla creazione di valore sostenibile a partire dai sustainable development goals – A.de Seneen – R.M. Maiorano – R. Reali – Cibele 2020